The capability or quality of shrinking or contracting, especially by muscle fibers and even some other forms of living matter.

Roget 195: contraction, reduction, diminution; decrease of size etc. 36; defalcation, decrement; lessening, shrinking etc. v.; compaction; tabes^†, collapse, emaciation, attenuation, tabefaction^†, consumption, marasmus^†, atrophy; systole, neck, hourglass.    condensation, compression, compactness; compendium etc. 596; squeezing etc. v.; strangulation; corrugation; astringency; astringents, sclerotics; contractility, compressibility; coarctation^†.    inferiority in size.    ... show more